Biden to tighten national security, public safety asylum screenings

The Biden administration is expected to announce new measures Thursday to more quickly screen asylum seekers for potential public safety and national security risks.

The proposed regulations would essentially move these tests to an earlier stage of the asylum process, increasing the likelihood that potential threats would be removed quickly.

The regulation still needs to go through a public comment period, but people familiar with the deliberations say it’s not the sweeping immigration policy the government expects.

The proposal is First reported by Politicothe results of the first asylum review will increase.

Under current rules, thorough background checks are left until the interview stage, after immigrants have already declared their intention to seek asylum and U.S. asylum officials have determined they meet the basic requirements for eligibility.

Under the new proposal, asylum officials would determine both the initial eligibility and the potential threat risk posed by the individual.

The proposal is part of expected executive actions the Biden administration is considering to replace a failed bipartisan border bill that would have put in place tougher restrictions on asylum.

The Biden administration is also said to be considering executive action to make it easier for longtime undocumented immigrants to regularize their status, especially if they are close relatives of U.S. citizens.

Democrats are pulling the Biden administration in both directions. On Tuesday, a group of Democrats in battleground states called for border-focused enforcement solutions, while on Wednesday, Hispanic lawmakers and members of the Progressive Caucus called for relief for illegal aliens.